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kmmcrafts

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Everything posted by kmmcrafts

  1. kmmcrafts
    I just seen you are from Michigan.. I don't know what your budget is.. but just doing a quick search on craiglist I found some decent prices on a few older saws.. while I didn't really take a lot of time to read about any of these saws.. I just felt these are somewhat of a good starter saw for someone.. and the one saw here is what used to be considered a higher end Delta P-20.. parts for these older saws are getting harder to find so do keep that in mind.. The one 16" Delta I believe is a SS350 which isn't a bad saw.. I owned one for a couple years as a back-up saw.. Anyway you would need to do your own research on each of these saws or ask others here.. I'm just pointing you toward some of what I believe to be good prices on older saws.. https://jxn.craigslist.org/tls/d/delta-scroll-saw/6218452549.html https://saginaw.craigslist.org/tls/d/delta-variable-scroll-saw/6211018830.html https://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/tls/d/scroll-saw/6189536750.html https://saginaw.craigslist.org/tls/d/delta-scroll-saw/6208811570.html https://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/tls/d/scroll-saw/6199272456.html There are also a few DeWalts and other brands on Craigslist.. Just giving you some samples of something better than what you are trying to use..
  2. kmmcrafts
    My saw initially had quite a lot of vibration when I first put it together.. I played around with everything I could think of.. and finally did one unthinkable thing.. I took all the bolts that hold the stand together loose.. then sort of wiggled the thing around to get everything settled in for the permanent parking spot.. tighten it all up and it's been fine ever since..
  3. kmmcrafts
    I purchased a small shipping scale off eBay for around $10 several years ago.. makes things so much easier to weigh the items you make.. be sure to add the weight of the box and packing material. too.. Not sure if the USPS web site still has a PDF of cost sheets or not.. but used to be able to view a price sheet by weight and destination zones.. I'm so used to it now that I just know the cost of something by the weight / size.. For fixed price shipping I put in the cost to the highest priced zone from my origin of shipping. Now many web sites ( eBay and Etsy ) have integrated with USPS so you can just enter that weight into your shipping section of the listing and it will show the actual cost to where ever the destination may be of your customer. BUT.. be warned.. with wood products.. you can have the same item with the same species of wood and one item can weigh several ounces more just due to moisture content or how much oil ( if finishing with oils ) content it soaked up.. so it can burn you for some $$ if you'r not careful.. especially with international shipping where the next weight bracket might be $10 more and you're only over by an ounce LOL... sounds like I've been there done that right? LOL If you do sell online it's so much easier to ship only to the USA ( if you live in the USA anyway LOL) BUT.. just know that you're missing out on a good chunk of business.. about 30% of my orders are international.. That's a good amount of money you're turning away because you don't want to mess with it.. Pays off to take time to learn the ins and outs of shipping not only to the USA but for the whole world.. Kevin
  4. kmmcrafts
    My issue isn't usually about being hot.. but being cold is.. LOL I built a new 24 x 32 shop with a 14 x 32 loft shop 5 years ago... heat rises plus I have it really well insulated.. I work downstairs as the loft portion is where I have my photo booth and my storage boxes etc.. But.. I have yet to put in a heater.. I've worked out there is -7F before.. on average though it usually hangs in the mid - upper 30's.. I have a small LP radiant heater that I turn on if it gets any colder than the 30F mark.. Summer time if I keep it all shut up rarely gets to the mid 80's even if it's upper 90's outside.. I'm not sure how the AC would do with the dust.. Forgot to mention.. it does get quite warm in the loft if I work up there.. but in the summer months I am not up there too much really other than taking new inventory up to the storage bins..
  5. kmmcrafts
    Wow I figured the shipping questions would come up.. I could write a book on shipping as it gets kind of tricky.. especially when you get into international shipping.. they have so many rules and regulations about things you can and cannot ship.. Some counties won't allow certain types of wood while another right next door country will .. and if you ship an item to a country that is against their rules.. you get a huge fine and possibly prison time.... they are no joke to mess with.. . Anyway... Most larger towns have shipping centers.. we have one called pakmail.. while their main business is people to bring their items into them to be packaged and shipped by them.. However they do sell packing supplies.. and they carry a lot of unique different styles of boxes etc.. I used to have the need for those things when I sold used car and tractor parts.. But with my woodworking.. to keep it simple I just stick to standard sizes etc.. I buy boxes in bulk and try to keep my items in a size that allows me to have to only stock up on about 4 different sized boxes.. I went the extra mile with shipping and spent a long time researching and looking into the most cost effective ways to ship.. Doing this helped me get an edge on the other scroll sawers prices.. so I could ship my items safely yet cheaper than most others shipping cost.. The average Etsy seller just uses those flat rate boxes and everything is standard priced.. though high priced because most everything if shipped my weight is cheaper.. The only time I've ever ran into a better deal on a flat rate box was when I was shipping 50# tractor wheel weights.. LOL.. Hey they said if it fits it ships.. By weight they wanted $60 each box. standard mail... but the flat rate box was only like $15 each.. and priority mail to boot, LOL Anyway.. most all items I sell can be shipped first class mail.. in some cases priority works out better priced because it comes with a standard shipping insurance..
  6. kmmcrafts
    I am glad you didn't get any worst than that.. I haven't been injured with a scroll saw yet.. but I do have to fess up and say.. never trim your nails with a roundover bit in a trim router.. Cut the end of my pinky finger off back in May.. Didn't go to the bone but must have been close.. Doctors couldn't do anything with it other that bandage it up and let it heal.. to my surprise.. it has grown back and looks normal now other than it is still very tender and a portion of my nail still need to grow back out.. Was a dumb mistake.. I know that I should never pick up a router off the wood while it's on.. was only rounding over the edge of a tabletop lazy Susanne and wanted to do the bottom side once I had done the top.. left the router on in one hand and was flipping the wood over. The wood slipped out of my hand and I was trying to catch it before it dropped and broke.. not thinking as it all happen so fast.. In the process of catching the board I stuck my finger into the running router bit.. Was really lucky I didn't do worst than I did.. So.. another lesson.. always turn off the router before picking it up off your project.. Always figured of all the tools.. the table saw would be the one to get me.. but I hate running that and am very cautious.. it's really the tools you aren't scared of that will get you because you get to comfortable and careless with them.. Kevin
  7. kmmcrafts
    Oh I see.. well to be honest I think it was around the new server time and I seen a posting about supporting the site.. before that I didn't even realize you took donations... then I noticed all the badges etc and thought I would send in.. as I never had before and the thought never really crossed my mind... I think I must have donated for the server move.. No big deal though.. I will just send in another once I get some more cash in my PayPal again.. This time maybe I will get it right so I can get that awesome looking badge. Thanks for all you do to keep the site going, Kevin
  8. kmmcrafts
    Now that Dan mentioned the anvil... also check to be sure that it will spin freely in the end of the thumb screw..when I first started sawing with the DeWalt.. that was one of my first issues with blades.. that little bugger would barely move, I had to soak it down with some oil to get it to move freely as it should.. Of coarse.. also make sure you clean off all that oil or you'll have a whole other problem, LOL
  9. kmmcrafts
    Not to take this topic off coarse but I sent in a payment to support the site about 2-3 months ago and I never received any support logos.. I then just figured it was because I had to do more posting as I thought maybe it was based on that.. guess I should have questioned it way back when.. Not a big deal really other than those that know how it's supposed to work probably think I'm a cheapskate because I been on here a lot and never paid a donation to support the site.. But I really did... I received a thank you note.. I'd have to go through my PayPal statements to see how much I donated and when that was.. Believe it was a $200,000 donation and you all thought I was a cheapskate..
  10. kmmcrafts
    More information about "Selling Online"
    The following is an excerpt written by @kmmcrafts from Info on Websites forum thread. I've been in on this online selling since 2010.. that said though.. up until just 3 years ago I only tinkered around with selling and never really took it to a business level.. so in the first several years I did maybe 10 orders a year.. when I started trying I did about 50ish orders the first year.. second year was around 170 ish.. last year I had over 300 orders.. and so far this year is doubling + some.. All that said though.. my first year was hardly anything until Mid - Late October before the sales started trickling in. and even last year I think I only had about 40 orders though the year until October hit.. then it was crazy busy.. If this years trend keeps up and the busy holiday season hits harder than last year I'm in trouble.. I turned a lot of work away starting from about mid November on out.. I sell on Artfire Etsy,Zibbet, and a stand alone web site with indiemade.. was just invited to sell on amazon handmade site.. amazon is sort of supposedly Juried.. I applied there when they first opened up.. but they took forever to accept me and when they did I was slammed with work during the holidays.. I lost my pass code to the site.. they kept sending me messages asking why I am not setting up shop I kept telling them but they never sent me another code until a couple days ago.. On Artfire I had a locked in rate of $5.95 a month.. but they done a lot of changes and now it's $20 plus a % of sales.. They have some awesome selling tools but it's like having your own site so you need to bring in your own traffic.. I still have an account but I am not selling there anymore.. due to a lot of issues with the site working correctly etc after they had some employees leave and they just didn't know how to run the site.. (poor management ) Etsy is a listing fee and a % of sale.. get a fair amount of traffic.. but to start over knowing what I know now.. I'd probably have not got so involved with working the shop there.. Lot's of other scroll sawers there and most don't charge a rate to make money.. and the way etsy is set up.. they will show your competitions items on your page etc.. so if I work my butt of to bring in shoppers.. they could leave by seeing a cheaper similar item from another shop.. That said I do get a fair amount of business.. but to do over I would put more focus on my own site.. Zibbet.. basic accounts are cheap.. but traffic is quite limited so you have to bring in your own.. much like a site of your own... I get enough sales to pay the yearly bill.. however I been thinking of closing up that shop just because I want to put my focus on my own indiemade web site as it is a better system.. Indiemade has different tiered plans.. depending upon how many items you have.. I have the $19.95 one.. I do well on indiemade for only being there a year.. First thing to do if you decide to sell online is to get a domain name and get business cards with that domain on it send a card or two in every package you send out.. Most people start on a venue as I did and then branch off to their own site.. Keeping up with SEO is a full time job+... LOL There is a lot to know about do's and don'ts of SEO and if you don't have a lot of time to invest.. your best off on etsy, artfire, or zibbet.. in my opinion.. Or.. spend big money advertising... to be found in searches.. Pictures of your products are very important for online selling.. if you have noise (clutter) in the background that distracts from your product or dark photos then it could mean the difference between a sale or a scroll on past.. I spent a lot of time with my camera and built a special photo booth light box to take my photos.. especially if your selling on a site like etsy where they show others items.. if someone lands on a page other than mine and they see my bright eye catching image they may say.. ooh that one looks awesome.. while the other item may be just as good of quality... my picture caught the attention.. Online selling can be a full time job if you want to make the effort and put in lots of hours.. I put in more than 40 hours a week between answering emails to tweaking SEO to working in the shop, packing orders, taking photos, working on web sites.. etc etc etc.. and I am only getting part time pay.. BUT.. it's nice to work my own hours.. and I am here at home for my family... I think too many people think they can just throw some pictures up on a site and the customers will just come rolling in.. to buy them.. and that is definitely not the case.. Also I think people think that lower prices will attract people.. It might to some extent.. but the more important thing is SEO and pictures.. because if nobody's finding your low price then nobody's going to buy it.. if pictures are bad many times you can't even give it away.. LOL.. That all said.. they say is takes a good 5 years for a business to get to a point of starting to make money.. I am three years in.. it's grown tremendously.. but if in 3-4 more years I'm not doing good I may throw in the towel and get a day job somewhere.. if it wasn't fun.. I'd have done that my first year.. Sorry, didn't mean to write a book, LOL Kevin
  11. kmmcrafts
    Plastic set screw? I bought my saw Type 2 New back in around 2009.. Mine came new with metal set screws.. I've never seen a DeWalt with plastic set screws.. and I've bought lots of replacements over the years and I've never received plastic set screws either.. Are you sure they are plastic? They do come coated with blue lock-tite threat locker to help them stay in place.. that stuff resembles plastic but the screw is metal.. If you really do have plastic I'd be changing them as I bet that is your problem..
  12. kmmcrafts
    I kept breaking blades in my Hawk as well when I first started out.. mine was a tension issue I believe.. and I went from being way too tight to being too loose.. in both cases I was breaking blades.. when too tight.. I was breaking them right inside the lower clamp.. they'd snap.. then when it was too loose.. They was breaking about an inch or so from either the bottom or top I think.. That said though I think they will be better at telling you the issue by telling them where the blades are breaking etc.. Kevin
  13. kmmcrafts
    If I remember correctly.. your saw is the ultra saw from the ebay listing I posted about here? That is the same saw as mine which was brand new in the box when I got it.. There is two positions for the lower blade camp to set in.. front position is for a more straight up and down.. that position farther back is for a little more movement for a more aggressive cut.. hawk says the front one is for thin wood cutting ( up to 1/2" thick ) and the back one for thicker wood.. I also placed a square behind mine when i first got it just to note the difference and also compared to to my DeWalt... anyway.. I noticed that the blade does move more up higher on the blade.. but now I can't remember what position I had the lower clamp in or the difference between the two positions.. I may have to look when I go back out in the shop..
  14. kmmcrafts
    Oak is terrible for that.. and I typically will use a heat gun / hair drier to heat up the pattern / tape when I go to remove it.. heating it up will help it loosen and peel much easier.. I found that the shelf liner stuff instead of tape, doesn't do that..
  15. kmmcrafts
    I've only done a handful of puzzles.. I used 1/4 BB ply and a puzzle blade.. had the same issues as you are having.. I was lucky enough to have a couple different saws to cut on... I tried a different saw.. and was able to do them better.. Now that I have more experience I can cut them on any of my saws but will admit.. they are easier to cut on my Hawk now than they are on my DeWalt.. The DeWalt is very aggressive cutting saw.. the forward / back motion of the blade up against the ridged blade clamp really makes it difficult to cut thin wood with fine detail ( puzzle bulbs etc ).. Back then I didn't have a Hawk but I had a old Delta.. I personally found back then that going very slow with saw speed made it easier.. but now I think the faster the saw runs the easier, LOL I also found that I was pushing on the wood too much as I was used to cutting thick 3/4" hardwoods.. If you have a saw that you can adjust the forward / back motion.. I'd adjust it to not move very much..otherwise.. it's just going to take a lot more practice, and a wood pile of ornamental fire wood, LOL Best of luck, Kevin
  16. kmmcrafts
    It took me quite a long time to get used to blade changes etc on my Hawk after 8 years of running the DeWalts.. I still go out and cut rush orders on my DeWalt simply because I am faster and more used to it.. and I've had my Hawk now about 9 months on the 220VS and about 2 months on my 226 Ultra.. while blade changes isn't bad now.. I just have more comfort sitting and cutting with my DeWalt..
  17. kmmcrafts
    I'm betting the ones you have near by at that price is the new BM series.. so with Scott's review it would probably be irrelevant.. Those older saws are nothing like the new Hawk.. Just sayin.. There is a Brand new 216VS still boxed on eBay.. starting bid is $600 and a buy it now at 1000.. while doen't get me wrong.. it's a brand new saw.. I feel that is way over priced for the 216 saw.. as the 216 saws have the tension lever at the back of the saw.. etc.. while yes.. very well made saw.. just way outdated for the money.. $200 more than the buy it now price would land you a newly designed BM220 saw with a lot more features.. While pictures of the Hawks look almost the same over the course of several years.. there really is a lot of improvements over those years from better motors and speed controllers and better blade clamps etc.. while I think all of the Hawks are well built.. but not all of them should be considered equal in quality and comfort.. Be warned.. the older ones had some issues with the motors and the VS controllers.. Hawk will sell you an upgraded motor and controller but the price tag is around $450.. and you have to send it in to them.. Knowing this... I would never buy a older used Hawk without first contacting them with the model and serial number to see which motor it has.. they can tell you if it has the problematic motor or not.. Kevin
  18. kmmcrafts
    I really wouldn't be surprised if the front portion of the moving parts and clamps etc aren't the same as a DeWalt too.. while I have never seen the two saws side by side.. I've always kind of pictured the EX's as a glorified DeWalt.. what I mean by that is.. the EX's visible parts and design look the same as a Dewalt. I know the EX's table is stationary and that you can twist the motor to change the forward / back motion of the blade.. so they have those perks... but as far as the arms, clamps and many other parts go.. very close in design if not the same parts.. I know that the Thumb and Set screws are interchangeable because I order my replacements for my Dewalt from Seyco for the EX.. cheaper than buying through DeWalt..
  19. kmmcrafts
    The cost to run a web site of that size isn't cheap.. I am quite surprised they haven't done this much sooner honestly.. While it kind of stinks to have to pay for everything.. I kind of understand too... I also do not trust photo hosting sites.. and I also back up my computer to an external drive.. and after I had a external drive crash that had thousands of patterns pictures etc on it.. I now also back up to CD/DVD disc and or zip / flash drives.. so I now keep several copies now..
  20. kmmcrafts
    If there was a designed pattern already I'd cut it out for her.. but.. she'd have to finish it.. because I don't see enough time to cut, finish, finish dry time, and then package and mail out to her to get it by the 18th.. quite honestly I don't even have any good lumber for outdoor signs on hand either since that really isn't my thing.. Wish I could help though.. this month is started out kind of slow and could use the order.. but not real king on time crunching a order that would need shipped.. scrambling around to gather material for the order would cost me the profit price too :(
  21. kmmcrafts
    Big difference between the older Hawks and the new ones though.. just saying.. unless you know it's a newer saw at those prices then it's most likely the going price for those older saws.. Many owners of the older Hawks are probably selling them for the newly designed one which brings down the market value of the older ones..as they are plentiful in the used market right now..
  22. kmmcrafts
    Late last fall I ordered some parts for my 1993 Hawk 220VS.. after about 2 weeks and my order status showing "waiting to be fulfilled" I gave them a call.. I will say I was getting quite irritated with how slow things was going with my order.. also wanted to mention that it took me a few days of calling several times a day even to get through.. as I kept getting a busy tone.. was ready to cancel my order.. but once I got through.. to a real person that actually speaks English good, LOL ( try that with DeWalt ) I was very impressed with the information she had given me about my 220VS as well as info about other saws I was looking at etc.. When I complained on SSV or some other scroll saw forum.. I was reminded that I am ordering parts for a 20 - 25 year old saw that has been out of production since the mid 1990's.. They had to set up tooling etc to make the parts I had ordered.. Try that with most any other brand of saw... most other companies will say "sorry we no longer make/stock parts for your model saw...but we can sell you a new saw.. At the time I was talking with them I was looking at a saw that the VS was erratic.. she told me that motor was and VS unit was bad and that the company that made the motor is out of business for those real old saws.. and said that if I wanted to send the saw to them they would retro-fit a new motor on it for about $350.. Don't think any other saw company would do that.. While $350 is steep for that old of a saw and I passed on buying it.. I just wanted to mention that they offered to fix / repair that saw.. instead of trying to sell me their new model.. Kevin
  23. kmmcrafts
    I've also seen blue ones with another name.. guessing they was from the late 80's early 90's.. I at first thought it was a Hawk painted another color.. but then the ebay ad showed the tag on the machine and sure enough it had another name on the tag..
  24. kmmcrafts
    I haven't heard of that one before.. but there are actually several sites that claim they will search the whole site.. I've used searchtempest for quite a few years now.. but will give the one you mention of a try.. www.searchtempest.com
  25. kmmcrafts
    Thanks, I do have the wordart font and this isn't it.. but that said... to make life easier I think I will change the font on the whole pattern to wordart to make it look as it should
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